Elysian Heights Arts Magnet is proudly, a self-sustaining public school that ensures that it’s students have Art and Music teachers 5 days/week and a Theatre teacher 2 days/week. The district norm is only ONE teacher, ONCE per week regardless of Arts Magnet status.

We value our Arts programs and teachers tremendously–they are the primary reasons EHPA exists. Have a look at what makes them so awesome:

Music

Elysian Heights Arts Magnet is incredibly fortunate to have a robust music program with a full time Music teacher 5 days/week and an additional strings specialist. Ms. Allison Tuthill, Director of the EHAM music program brings 12 years of experience to build upon students’ understanding of foundational music theory by teaching them to read and write musical notation, learn proper vocal technique, and perform in group and solo settings. Students learn improvisation and collaboration with peer musicians through instrument playing, movement and singing. They can be assigned their own violins, violas, cellos, and have access to acoustic drum kit, electric guitars, basses, keyboards, hand percussion, bucket drums, xylophones, recorders, ukuleles, boomwhackers and props that enhance their experience as they create and act in musical stories. This has also led to numerous student rock bands forming during lunch and recess! In addition to Rock Band clubs, other musical clubs take place throughout and after the school day including Advanced Orchestra, Choir, Violin Club, Drum Club, and Piano Club. Music class is a chance for students to access a different side of their creativity, expressing themselves in a new way. Ms. Tuthill believes the music room should be a joyful place where students focus their energy into creating an art they can feel proud of. She hopes that when students leave music, they can be re-energized to tackle the rest of their day with success.

Videos:
– Watch Elysian Heights Arts Magnet Rock Band – “When the Stars Shine Bright”
– Watch Elysian Heights Arts Magnet wrote+performed song a Country Music Hall of Fame
– Watch Elysian Heights Arts Magnet – Winter concert 2022 – 5th grade performing “Last Christmas” ft The 5th grade Rock Band “Mind over Matter”
– Watch Elysian Heights Arts Magnet – Piano Club student Yonah Playing Keyboard

Art

EHAM students are exposed to a plethora of mediums and disciplines through our immersive Art program taught by Ms. Rebecca Maurer 5 days/week. Ms. Mauer champions creativity through our ceramics instruction, taking advantage of our kiln room, weaving with the use of individual looms for each student, and painting and mixed medium curriculum aided by generous donations of materials from one of our Corporate Partners, EcoSetLA. Student work is celebrated throughout the year in various school displays while being curated and exhibited outdoors, filling our campus alongside interactive student workshops at our annual Spring Art Festival.

Theatre

EHAM is extraordinarily grateful to have Professional Actor and Theater Education Coordinator at Sacred Fools Theater, Ms. Emily Kosloski, at the helm of our Theater Program. Twice a week, Ms. K guides the students through improvisation and play-based theater games that teach collaboration and creativity. Each class performs for each other and for friends and family in the spring. The after-school Theater Club and 5th grade Theater Select group produces an original production each spring.


Garden

EHAM has one of the most cared for sustainable gardens and green school campuses in the district, complete with adorable friendly chickens. Equipped with an in-school garden program through our partnership with the nonprofit organization EnrichLA, the school ensures that every student receives garden curriculum instructional time while emphasizing natural science. EHAM possesses a thriving garden culture full of diligent volunteers who are attached to approximately 50+ student after-school Garden Club members. Vegetation is lovingly tended to in 2 consecutive hour-long sessions each Friday.

Our garden has the labor support of community volunteers who believe in the importance of creating and protecting natural environments in urban settings and wish to celebrate and sustain the garden’s existence. A weekly fresh produce stand sells what is harvested from the school garden in order to aid in sustaining it’s needs.

Simply put, the kids are bug lovers! They are captivated by the study of ecosystems through inspecting roly polys, worms, bees, butterflies, and countless other insects. For them, the garden is a joyful safe space. Many parent meetings are held in our this peaceful outside space as well. We are beyond grateful for our beautiful garden especially as it occupies such a large space as neighborhood schools with green spaces have become increasingly limited.